Hart Borough Council Licensing Committee Meeting

The minutes of 3 July 2024 were agreed and signed as a correct record.

Proposed by: Cllr Clarke    Seconded by: Cllr Dorn    Unanimously agreed.

Apologies had been received from Cllrs Axam, Vernon and Woods.

There were no declarations of interest made.

The Chair had no announcements.

This item was to consider the fees and charges for taxi licensing services relating to hackney carriage and private hire vehicles, drivers and operators.

Cllr Forster declared a non-pecuniary, non-prejudicial interest in this item in that he was involved in a business supplying ultra rapid EV charging points.

Members heard:

• The DBS service had advised that charges would be increased to £49.50 from 1 December 2024.  These were recharged to Hart at cost by Basingstoke and Deane.
• Fees and charges relating to hackney carriages and private hire vehicles to remain the same for 2025/26 to help support the trade
• Both the wheelchair accessible vehicle fee and electrical vehicle fee of 0% were due to expire in 2025 unless proposals were agreed to extend these
• Drivers’ and operators’ fees had been increased by 3%

Members discussed:

• The number of wheelchair accessible and electric vehicles in Hart
• Why the increase had been set at 3%
• Why the renewal fee for drivers had been frozen
• That it would be useful to have the schedule show which of the fees had been increased by central Government and which had been increased by Hart
• Why some of the increases did not exactly equate to 3%
• Whether an additional incentive for drivers/operators of wheelchair accessible vehicles could be offered
• The ability of private hire drivers/operators to work across district borders, whilst hackney carriages were limited to the district they were registered in
• The merits of extending the 100% discount on the fee for electric vehicles for a period of two years, against reviewing it annually

Cllr Farmer proposed an amendment to extend the discount of 100% on the fee for electric vehicles for a further two years.  Seconded by Cllr Dorn.  A recorded vote was held:

For: Coburn; Dorn; Farmer; Forster (4)

Against: Butler; Clarke; Harward; Jones; Smith; Thomas (6)

Abstain: none

The proposed amendment to the policy was defeated.

Cllr Smith proposed an amendment to extend the discount of 100% on the fee for electric vehicles for a further 1 year.  Seconded by Cllr Jones. 

The proposed amendment to the policy was agreed unanimously.

Cllr Forster proposed an amendment to extend the discount of 100% on the fee for wheelchair accessible vehicles for a further 5 years.  Seconded by Cllr Dorn. 

The proposed amendment to the policy was agreed unanimously.

The amended fees and charges recommendation as discussed was proposed by Cllr Dorn and seconded by Cllr Clarke and was agreed unanimously.

In closing this item, it was noted that the guide on the website on becoming a taxi driver required updating.

Decision

The Licensing Committee agreed:

·       the 2025/26 amended fees and charges relating to hackney carriage and private hire vehicles, drivers and operators’ licences.

·       that the proposed amended fees and charges would go to public consultation in accordance with the process set out in section 70 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (The Act).

that the Executive Director – Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, make any necessary minor alterations / typographical corrections to the policy before it was published.

This report provided information required to make a decision to approve a revised Sex Establishments Policy and conditions for consultation.

Members heard:

• Hart did not have any sex establishments and there was little risk of gaining one
• There were three different types of sex establishments
• The legislation around opening a sex establishment was very prescriptive
• That the policy if agreed would go out to consultation and return to the next meeting of the Committee for final approval

Members discussed:

• Whether the 12 week consultation period was statutory
• How the policy related to the Corporate Plan
• How much officer time it had taken to produce the Policy
• That although it was a shared policy with Basingstoke, there would be small differences in each authority’s policy as the Committee could amend the parts relating to Hart, and Basingstoke’s Licensing Committee could amend the parts relating to Basingstoke and Deane

Proposed by Cllr Butler; seconded by Cllr Jones.  Agreed unanimously.

Decision

The Licensing Committee:

·       agreed the draft Sex Establishments Policy for consultation, as set out in  Appendix A, and

authorised the Executive Director – Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, to make any necessary minor alterations / typographical corrections to the Policy before it was published.